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THE JACKSON HERALD
WEDNESDAY, MAY 17, 2017
Football
Spring practice wraps up for area teams
GETTING VERTICAL
East Jackson’s Asa Callow goes up to haul in a catch during spring football
practice last week. Photo by Ben Munro
Here’s a team-by-team
run down of spring football
practice. The 10-day session
concluded last week. — com
piled by Ben Munro and
Charles Phelps
JACKSON COUNTY
Third-year Panther coach
Brandon Worley said last
week that approximately 90
players participated in spring
practice and praised the
mindset of the returning start
ers and major contributors.
The team welcomed back
eight players with substan
tial experience on offense
from last year — including
single-season rushing record
holder Noah Venable. Wor
ley pointed out that six play
ers across the offensive front
(including tight end) that have
all started at one time. Mean
while, seven major contribu
tors returned on defense for
the spring season.
“A lot of the kids that had
significant playing time last
year, their attitudes have been
great,” Worley said.
The team also progressed
in the weight room over the
winter months, and Worley
noticed that the practices
were more physical.
‘‘But the attitude is the
No. 1 thing that sticks out to
me,” Worley said last week.
“I just feel like our attitude
and approach to practice each
day has just been as positive
as I've seen since I’ve been
here.”
EAST JACKSON
First-year Eagle coach
Scott Wilkins said the 95
players that participated
in the spring season was a
strong total considering the
number of other activities
going on in the spring.
‘‘We’re very pleasantly
surprised with the turnout
this spring,” Wilkins said last
week.
Wilkins praised the play
of rising junior running
back Elijah Pierce and ris
ing sophomore running back
Caleb Adair, along with ris
ing junior receiver Marcus
Wingfield, during the spring
session.
For a program with a new
coach in Wilkins and some
new assistants, the spring
season is essential is estab
lishing credibility as a staff
and selling the program to
prospective new players.
according to Wilkins.
“All I do is ask the guys
to give us 10 days.” said
Wilkins, who won 108
games in 16 seasons at Cedar
Shoals. “At the end of 10
days of spring practice, if you
don’t like what you see, I’m
fine ... We appreciate you
giving us a legitimate shot to
win you over.”
Most of the Eagle staff are
holdovers but the team added
a few new coaches, including
a new offensive coordinator
and defensive coordinator.
New offensive coordinator
Ricky Bustle, who coached
at Prince Avenue last year,
will look to infuse more pass
ing into the Eagle offense.
J.R. Ragan, from McIntosh
County Academy, will bring
more zone coverage in con
trast to former defensive
coordinator Brady Sigler,
whose specialty was press
man coverage.
Other new coaches include
Drew Morris, who will coach
wide receivers, and former
UGA player Josh Dawson,
who also spent time on the
Falcons’ practice squad.
Dawson will help out coach
ing the defensive line.
JEFFERSON
First-year coach Gene
Cathcart, last week, point
ed to the play of Jefferson’s
returning cast during the
spring season.
The Dragons have two
quarterbacks — Colby Clark
and Bryce Moore — who
have playoff wins, and an all-
state running back in Colby
Wood, who has gotten stron
ger. Cathcart pointed out that
the offensive front lost two
road-graders in Caleb Chan
dler and Dontae Wilson but
has returned Hunter Grif
fith, Logan Gamer and J.T
Middleton. Gavin London, a
transfer, has shown promise
on both fronts this spring,
Cathcart said.
Garmon Randolph has had
“a big coming-out spring,”
according to Cathcart, after
putting in a lot of off sea
son work, catching the ball
well at tight end and showing
promise at defensive end.
Aaron Hall, who is draw
ing recruiting interest along
with Randolph, has played
well on the defensive front,
according to Cathcart.
At linebacker, Matthew
Nilsen and Clark, along with
Cale Compton. Cole and
McNally, have all impressed
Cathcart during the spring.
Wood has bulked up and been
working at rover, according
to the coach.
Corbin. Addison Clay. Ter
rell Wall and Gaither have
stood out in the secondary,
while the team has welcomed
a senior transfer, Tyler Rob
erts, into the fold in the sec
ondary and at wide receiver.
Cathcart praised the effi
ciency at special teams during
the spring with Hayden
Kilgore (place kicker), Seth
Glausier (deep snapper) and
Corbin (holder) all returning.
Clark and Cole worked at
punter.
COMMERCE
Fifth-year coach Michael
Brown said the team has had
a good practices this spring,
and the focus has been cen
tered around fundamentals
while installing the base
offense and base defense.
“We’re just trying to take
it slow and make sure that
we build a firm foundation.”
Brown said last week.
The Tigers had 26 fresh
men out for spring practice.
“We want to take some
time to really spend with
them and make sure they
understand what we do and
progress slowly.” he said. “It
has been a very enthusiastic,
energetic spring. We’ve been
really excited about the prog
ress we’ve made so far:’
Brown added the freshmen
have shown the “desire” to
be good football players and
accept what’s being coached
to them.
“We’re really excited about
the attitude of these young
guys,” he said. “Of course,
our older guys are a year
older, a year in the weight
room stronger. Some of these
guys that were freshmen last
year, that are now upcom
ing lOth-graders, really have
shown us what they can do.
I’ve been really impressed
with some of them as well.
We feel like it’s important in
the spring every year to lay a
good foundation, spend some
time with these younger guys
and evaluate where they are.
and if any of these guys can
help us on the varsity next
year, now is the time to take a
look at them.”
RUNNING ATTACK
Jefferson’s Donsha Gaither picks up first-down
yardage on a carry during the Dragons’ 21-7
scrimmage win. Photo by Ben Munro
Dragons win...
continued from IB
State meet
• ••
continued from IB
second quarter as Jefferson
built a 21-0 lead.
Due to the extended light
ning delay, the teams rolled
immediately into the third
quarter without a halftime
break. Lakeside managed
its only points of the night
with a scoop-and-score of
a Jefferson fumble from 20
yards out with 7:52 left in
the third. The game ended
after the third quarter due
to the amount of time the
weather delay took from the
scrimmage.
“It’s a starting point.”
Cathcart said. “We knew
we’ve had a great spring
practice. You just never
know how these things
are going to go. We have a
whole summer to get better.
I’m excited about this foot
ball team, how hard they’ve
worked in the spring we’ve
had ... All in all it went
well.”
The capacity for what’s
allowed for spring scrim
mages could continue to
expand next year.
Cathcart said there’s talk
of allowing teams to hold
spring jamborees, allowing
teams scrimmage multiple
opponents for abbreviated
segments.
“We may get a couple of
teams from a little closer and
try to maybe have a little bit
better gate and pick a better
night weather-wise.” Cath
cart said.
Corbett said this year’s
meet will help Martin towards
his goal.
“He got another year of
experience in a different
venue, a state setting,” he said.
“I tried to tell him afterward
that surely he was disappoint
ed, but that's just another step
in the process.”
Corbett noted that Martin
was seeded second in Class
AAAA going into the meet.
“It was nice for him to do
what he was supposed to do
and get it done,” Corbett said.
“Again, he has another year
ahead of him to get better.”
Martin wasn't Jefferson's
lone vaulter as Tripp Bullock
added a fifth-place finish in
the pole vault (11-00).
Elsewhere in the field
events, Jonathan Paolozzi and
Dontae Wilson concluded
their careers by adding points
in the discus. Paolozzi fin
ished fifth with a throw of
144 feet, while Wilson — a
two-time state champion in
Class AAA — took sixth with
a throw of 141-11.
On the track. Max Higgins
ran to a sixth-place finish in
the 1,600 meters (4:26.99) in
the final race of his career.
Tanner Carson also provided
a team point, finishing eighth
in the 110-meter hurdles
(16.64). He also competed in
the 300-meter hurdles, taking
11th (41.20).
The 4 x 400 team (Pend
er, Archer Goggans, Carson
and Higgins) finished ninth
(3:24.90), and the 4 x 100
team (Blake Wright, Denarius
Jewell, Blake Walker and J.T.
Minish) took 13 th (44.08).
The Dragons' seventh-place
finish broke a streak of three-
straight top four finishes at
state.
“The overall speed of the
meet as a whole really sur
prised me,” said Corbett, who
noted that his 4 x 400 team’s
time was one of the program’s
best in at least a decade but
not good enough to advance
it to the finals. “I don’t know
if it surprised me but it was
really solid.”
For Corbett, this was his
final meet with Jefferson after
14 seasons as he'll move
on to an athletic adminis
tration and assistant coach
ing job at Tallulah Falls.
“I enjoyed being with the kids
one last time knowing that
I’m not going to be with some
of those kids that are returning
next year.” he said. “It was
nice to send off some of these
seniors.”
He pointed out that seven
of the nine seniors were four-
year track performers. The
group helped the program
win three region champion
ships and then finish as region
runners-up this year. The pro
gram also went undefeated in
dual meets this year and won
four invitational meets.
“That’s a pretty solid four
year run, and those are some
seniors that we're going to
miss sorely,” Corbett said.
BENTON PACES
JHS GIRLS
Jefferson Akera Benton
closed her junior season by
earning another piece of his
tory.
Benton finished third in the
triple jump at the state meet
at Berry College, breaking
her own school record in that
event by covering a distance
of 36-11.25.
“I PR’d; I beat my school
record again,” Benton said.
“I'm pleased (with the per
formance).”
Benton has plans for a big
senior year, which includes
setting a new PR in the triple
jump. She added that she has
some extra incentive to better
her current PR in the triple
jump.
“My goal is probably
going to be 38 — I want to
get 38,” she said. “My dad
said if I get 37 I get a new
phone.”
Benton also took fourth
in the long jump (17-3.75)
and eighth in the 400 meters
(1:00.10). She accounted for
12 of Jefferson's 22.5 points.
The team finished ninth
in their first year in Class
AAAA. Coach Brandon Vin
son said he was pleased with
his team's showing over the
course of the three-day meet.
“I am very happy with the
performance of the girls,”
Vinson said. “They actually
met and exceeded my expec
tations in some areas.”
Taylor Love closed her
career with a fifth-place fin
ish in the pole vault (9-6)
and a sixth-place finish in the
300-meter hurdles (47.31).
Her vault of 9-06 fell two
inches shy of the school
record of 9-08.
Ellie Isaacs grabbed fifth
place in the shotput with a
distance of 37-11.5. Kennedy
Horn also competed in that
event, finishing 11th with a
throw of 33-4.75.
Others competing at state
were Mariah Starks (13th,
100-meter hurdles, 17.32)
and the 4 x 100 (Mac Fowl
er, Benton, Love and Starks)
and 4 x 400 (Fowler. Ben
ton, Love, Madelyn Long)
relay teams, which took 13th
(50.86) and 14th (4:09.44)
respectively.
“I was really pleased with
our overall performances and
was glad we met our goals by
competing hard and getting
PRs and records,” Vinson
said.
PUBLIC NOTICE
NOTICE OF APPLICATION FOR A NATIONAL
POLLUTANT DISCHARGE ELIMINATION
SYSTEM PERMIT TO DISCHARGE TREATED
WASTEWATER INTO THE WATERS
OF THE STATE OF GEORGIA
Tire Georgia Environmental Protection Division
(EPD) is considering the reissuance of an NPDES
Permit for the following applicant, subject to specific
pollutant limitations and special conditions:
Jackson County Water and Sewer Authority, P.O. Box
869, Jefferson, Georgia 30549, NPDES Permit No.
GA0002712, for tire Middle Oconee Water Pollution
Control Plant located at 2359 Winder Highway, Jef
ferson, GA 30549. Up to 0.5 MGD of treated waste-
water is being discharged to tire Middle Oconee Riv
er in the Oconee River Basin.
Persons wishing to comment upon or object to the
proposed determinations are invited to submit same
in writing to the EPD address below, or via e-mail at
EPDcomments@dnr. ga. gov, no later than thirty (30)
days after this notification. If you choose to e-mail
your comments, please be sure to include the words
"NPDES permit reissuance: Jackson County WSA,
Middle Oconee WPCP-GA0002712 (Jackson County)"
in the subject line to ensure that your comments will be
forwarded to the correct staff. All comments received
prior to or on that date will be considered in the formu
lation of final determinations for these permits. A pub
lic hearing may be held where the EPD Director finds
a significant degree of public interest in a proposed
permit or group of permits. Additional information
regarding public hearing procedures is available by
writing the Environmental Protection Division.
A fact sheet or copy of the draft permit is available by
writing the Environmental Protection Division. The
permit application, draft permit, and other informa
tion are available for review at 2 Martin Luther King Jr.
Drive, Suite 1152 East, Atlanta, Georgia, 30334 between
the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through
Friday. For additional information contact: Gigi Steele,
Wastewater Regulatory Program at (404) 463-1511.
Please bring this to tire attention of persons who you
know will be interested in this matter.